News
Bids sought to develop AET Competency Framework 30/11/11
The deadline for bidders interested in developing the AET competency framework is close of play on 6th January 2012.
100% Awesomes - peer awareness resource pack 30/11/11
A new set of comic book characters, ‘The 100% Awesomes’ has been created by the team behind the Doctor Who Magazine for the AET to promote awareness of difference and autism.
AET training programme swings into gear 30/11/11
Seven organisations have now been appointed to become training hubs to deliver the AET’s ambitious DfE supported training programme.
Nominations for Autism Stars 30/11/11
If you know someone who does an outstanding job in supporting a child or young person with autism, why not nominate them for an AET Autism Star Award?
Blog on Academies, Free Schools and the Law 14/11/11
A new blog by SEN lawyer David Wolfe aims to answer any legal questions on academies and free schools, with a focus on the SEN perspective.
Dyslexia training for teachers 14/11/11
The British Dyslexia Association has set up an online petition to encourage the mandatory elements of dyslexia awareness training on SEN to be included in initial teacher training.
Major Victories on Education Bill 14/11/11
Campaigning by the National Autistic Society has recently led to two amendments to the Education Bill which is currently going through Parliament, which will both mean a better deal for children and young people with special educational needs.
NICE publish clinical guidelines on autism 14/11/11
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published clinical guidelines for autism in children and young people
Parents can rate schools on Ofsted website 14/11/11
Parents can now evaluate the performance of their child’s school on a new website produced by the Government’s education watchdog, Ofsted.
AET Training Hubs appointment 20/10/11
The Autism Education Trust has now appointed 7 AET training hubs. We had 26 applicants and interviewed 16 over 3 days.
Special Needs London 12/10/11
We will be exhibiting at the world’s largest gathering of SEN professionals. Come find us on Stand 43.
Vacancies for AET governing bodies 15/09/11
The AET is currently seeking individuals who would like to actively contribute to its work by joining one of two governance bodies - the Programme Board and the Expert Reference Group.
National autism training update: applications for hub schools extended and invitations to tender open 15/09/11
Over the summer the AET has been making progress in developing the process for delivering the first ever National Autism Education Standards for all schools across England and autism education training to practitioners over the next two years.
Outcomes Report highlights education system gaps for pupils with autism 14/09/11
The current education system lacks flexibility and ambition in its approach to pupils on the autism spectrum, according to a new report published by the AET.
Tools for Teachers hard copy and DVD now available 13/09/11
‘Tools for Teachers’, the AET’s invaluable resource for teachers working with pupils with autism, is now available to purchase in hard copy.
A new 'The Den' pack for the new school year 12/09/11
Free information packs about the AET’s unique online information hub The Den for teenagers will be available from September 2011.
Department for Education releases school exclusion figures 12/09/11
Pupils with a statement of SEN are around eight times more likely to receive a permanent exclusion from school and six times more likely to receive a fixed-term exclusion, compared to pupils with no SEN.
New Kids Zone Puppet 12/09/11
A new addition to the AET Kids Zone is now live. A puppet, known as Bam, is now available to view online.
Good Practice Report now available 31/08/11
High ambitions, a unique curriculum and highly trained staff are essential factors in providing good autism education, according to a report commissioned by the Autism Education Trust (AET).
Consultations seeking respondents 26/08/11
The Department for Education and the Children’s Commissioner are seeking input into the following consultations.
Family and Friends Care Survey 26/08/11
The Family Rights Group is seeking input into a major survey among family and friend carers.
Ofsted: disabled young people need more help post-16 26/08/11
Many young disabled people struggle to get effective support after leaving school to help them into employment, further study and living independently, according to Ofsted’s new report, Progression post-16 for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
TES Connect Resources 26/08/11
TES Connect Resources, a section of the TES website, is home to a vast library of teaching resources all created and uploaded by other teachers in the TES community for everyone to share, providing a really valuable source of help for all teachers.
New good practice case studies now live 18/07/11
A number of new and reinvigorated good practice case studies are now available on the AET website. The case studies feature inspiring, moving and practical examples of how people are successfully contributing to the education of children and young people on the autism spectrum.
New commissioning for autism resources 18/07/11
Better Commissioning for Autism is a project supported by the AET to examine ways of improving the commissioning of educational provision for children on the autism spectrum throughout England.
Children’s Commissioner issues call for exclusions evidence 15/07/11
Dr Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England, has launched an inquiry into school exclusions. She issued a public call for evidence, and will examine questions related to the issue.
Apps for Autism 01/07/11
Apple’s touch screen devices have revolutionised the way children and young people on the autism spectrum are able to learn, develop and communicate. There are thousands of applications available to parents, educators and people with autism, from expensive communication solutions to fun games for both children and adults alike.
It’s time to shine! 29/06/11
The Communication Trust’s Hello campaign is inviting entrants to take part in the ‘Shine a Light’ 2011 Hello campaign awards for developing children and young people’s communication, launched last month in partnership with Pearson Assessment.
NAS launches Great Expectations Campaign 28/06/11
The NAS has launched a new campaign, Great Expectations, to end the battle many parents face trying to get the right education for their child.
July 2011 new resources 01/06/11
AET July 2011 newsletter new resources.
Professional Conference 2011 20/05/11
Supportin pupils with autism in a changing educational environment.
Friday 8 July 2011, Central London
BBC trials new web accessibility support tool 13/04/11
The BBC has launched the trial of a new tool to allow users to change the way text is presented on the web pages of bbc.co.uk.
AET commissions new research into outcomes for adults with autism 11/04/11
The Autism Education Trust has commissioned important new research – the Outcomes Project – to look at the relationship between education and adult outcomes for people with autism.
AET awarded £1.2m grant to develop national standard, competency framework, qualification and training in autism education 07/04/11
From 1 April 2011 the role of the Autism Education Trust will become focused on developing and delivering the first ever national standard competency framework, qualification and training in autism education.
Sing Up with Crackers Maracas 01/04/11
The national singing programme Sing Up has produced a new resource pack, ‘Crackers Maracas’, specifically for children on the autism spectrum as a result of links made through the AET.
Autism supplement published in The Independent newspaper 30/03/11
Read comments from AET Project Head Sarah-Jane Critchley and NAS Chief Executive Mark Lever in the 'Autism' supplement published in The Independent on 30 March 2011.
AET responds to NICE consultation on ASDs in children 28/03/11
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is writing new clinical guidelines on recognition, referral and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in children and young people. Development of the guidelines began in May 2009. Approved guidelines will be published in September 2011.
SEN and Disability Green Paper Published 22/03/11
The long-awaited SEN & Disability Green Paper ‘Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability’ was launched on the 9th of March by Sarah Teather, Minister of State for Children and Families.
National Autistic Society calls on young people at school 16/03/11
The National Autistic Society has launched a survey to find out what children and young people think about school.
North Yorkshire County Council publish Changing Times to keep parents and professionals up to date 15/03/11
The AET training event held in central York earlier this year has been reviewed in the March 2011 edition of North Yorkshire County Council's Changing Times newsletter.
Education Committee launches online forum to consult young people 08/03/11
The government’s Education Committee has launched an online forum in partnership with The Student Room to aid its inquiry into services outside of school for young people aged 13 to 25.
The School I Would Like: The Guardian newspaper 2011 02/03/11
The Guardian is compiling a Children’s Manifesto based on comments pupils of all ages are sending in to the newspaper by email. The deadline for sending a comment about the sort of things you would like to see in the school of your dreams is the 4th March.
Exhibitor opportunities at AET Training Events 25/02/11
The AET York Training Event on 10th February attracted nearly 100 education professionals who work with children and young people on the autism spectrum, as well as a number of parents. And with London (9th March) and Manchester (24th March) events fast approaching, there are still exhibitor opportunities available for you to take advantage of.
New online case studies coming soon 25/02/11
The AET website will be hosting a number of new case studies over the next couple of months as we update our Good Practice section with inspiring, moving and practical examples of how people are successfully contributing to the education of children and young people on the autism spectrum.
New ‘The Den’ packs for schools 25/02/11
Look out for information packs about The Den from the AET this spring. We will be sending all secondary schools in England information packs containing a new range of resources designed specifically for young people on the autism spectrum. The packs highlight the advice, information and support available on The Den on a wide range of issues affecting young people today.
Autism Eye magazine launches 24/02/11
Autism Eye magazine launched at the end of February to keep parents and carers informed about the latest research into autism and treatments.
Education Bill Update 24/02/11
The government published its Education Bill on 27th January 2011 following its presentation to Parliament. The Bill will make the changes to law, which are needed as a result of the Department for Education’s schools White Paper published in November 2010.
SEN and Disability Green Paper update 24/02/11
The long-awaited SEN and Disability Green Paper has once again been delayed and is now expected to be published in March 2011.
Local authorities with academies to continue to fund SEN Support services 23/02/11
The government has agreed that for the coming year local authorities with academies should continue to fund SEN support services at the current level instead of delegating the money down to academies.
New - 'The Den' packs for schools 23/02/11
Look out for ‘The Den’ information packs from the AET this autumn. We will be sending all secondary schools in England information packs containing a new range of resources designed specifically for young people with autism.
Education Select Committee publishes report on behaviour 03/02/11
The Education Select Committee has published a report on behaviour - Behaviour and Discipline in Schools: Volume 1 (3rd February 2011).
Computers and TV wrongly blamed for children’s speech disorders 31/01/11
One in six parents in Britain believe that the most common cause of speech, language and communication difficulties among children is the time they spend on computers and watching television, according to a new poll published today to mark the launch of the Hello campaign – the national year of communication.
AET announces 2011 training events 24/01/11
The first leg of the 2011 series of AET Training Events (formerly AET Roadshows) has now been confirmed and three events will be taking place nationwide in February and March this year with a further three planned for April, May and June.
AET launches national Autism Stars awards 14/01/11
The AET has launched Autism Stars, a new national awards scheme to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution of individuals in creating an autism friendly culture.
The Communication Trust responds to release of ‘The Kings Speech’ 13/01/11
As The Kings Speech is crowned a box office success and with the Golden Globes and Oscars in sight, The Communication Trust - a unique coalition of 40 voluntary and community organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication - have warned that “stammering is just the tip of a massive iceberg and many children struggle on a day to day basis with ‘hidden’ communication difficulties that can get misunderstood, misinterpreted or just missed altogether.”
New content for The Den 04/01/11
This month will see new and updated content added to The Den, an information hub for young people with autism (it is not a social networking site) on the AET website. The Den aims to address some of the questions, issues and worries that all young people face, but presents the information in ways that appeal to young people with autism, using visual content to communicate information and complement text.
AET website adds Widgit Point 03/01/11
Widgit Point is now available on the AET website, increasing the accessibility of our resources for users with autism. When a visitor hovers their cursor over a word, this new software offers a list of symbols that illustrate the possible meanings of the word, providing unparalleled support for symbol readers online.
Government White Paper highlights SEN 22/12/10
The Government has published it plans for reform for the education system in a White Paper – The Importance of Teaching (24 November), with a number of implications for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Green Paper consultation summary published 16/12/10
The Government’s long-awaited SEN Green Paper is expected to be published early this year and a summary of the consultation that closed in October 2010 has now been published.
The Communication Trust says Hello 15/12/10
The Communication Trust has launched a nationwide campaign to support the 2011 National Year of Communication – Hello.
RHS claims gardening helps meet SEN needs 25/11/10
A report released by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) [25 November 2010] and funded by the Growing Schools Programme, claims that teaching gardening to children and young people with special educational needs has a positive impact on their development.
Government launches consultation for Year 1 reading test 23/11/10
The Government has launched (23 November 2010) a public consultation on the introduction of a phonic screening test for all children in Year 1, with the aim of improving reading standards in schools.
US study claims most promising test for autism yet 31/10/10
A US study claims to have developed a brain scan that can detect high-functioning autism with a 94% success rate, the best biologically based test for autism to date.
Meet the AET team at Special Needs London 23/09/10
The Autism Education Trust team is heading back out on the road this autumn and the next stop is Special Needs London.
Ofsted reports lack of expertise for children with SEN 22/09/10
A recent report published by Ofsted on 14 September has identified gaps in expertise and lack of classroom support to effectively support many pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Government launches 'Call for Views' on SEN Green Paper 21/09/10
The Department of Education has launched a 'Call for Views' on how the existing education system is working for pupils with SEN and disabilities.
TreeHouse School is recruiting three new governors 27/07/10
TreeHouse School is recruiting for three new governors to support the work of the School Governing Body.
AET Youth Council helps leading children’s newspaper 08/07/10
First News, the leading children’s newspaper, is running the My Way! campaign throughout 2010 to highlight the importance of recognising that every child learns differently.
AET and Commissioning Support Programme seminar 07/07/10
AET hosts Commissioning Support Programme seminar for autism education service commissioners to update knowledge and share information and good practice
Cost-effective system launched by NAS Education Support Service 23/06/10
The NAS's Education Support Service has launched a new cost-effective system for schools to join forces in local areas to benefit from expert ASD specific training and advice.
Can you help with research about mainstream primary to secondary transition phase 17/06/10
Great Ormond Street Hospital would like to hear from parents of children with autism about their experiences of transition from primary to secondary schools.
New Sentence Trouble website now live 17/06/10
A new website www.sentencetrouble.info has been launched to help staff working in the youth justice system understand and communicate with children and young people.
The Communication Trust needs your help... 17/06/10
The Communication Trust has been commissioned to run a national campaign in 2011 to raise awareness of children's communication skills.
NAS launches You Need to Know campaign 14/06/10
Highlighting gaps in mental health services for children on the autism spectrum.
NASEN Live 2010 26/05/10
We are launching a new resource for teachers on Stand B28 at Nasen Live on 26 and 27 May 2010 at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton. The resource, called Tools for Teachers: Practical Resources for Classroom Success, brings together all the relevant information a teacher supporting a child or young person with autism might need.
How to help children with autism cope with change at school 18/05/10
The AET, with the help of other autism organisations, has sponsored a supplement due for publication in Education Guardian on Tuesday 18 May 2010.
Live online chats with Annette Brooke MP and Diana Johnson MP 26/03/10
Next Tuesday TreeHouse will be hosting live online chats with Annette Brooke MP (at 10am-11am) and Diana Johnson MP (at 11.45am-12.45pm)
New resources to help teachers 23/03/10
The AET, England’s only umbrella organisation for autism education, is publishing two new online resources for teachers to support teaching practices for children and young people on the autism spectrum.
Helen's film 16/03/10
Helen Wood is a member of The Autism Education Trust Youth Council. She is on the autism spectrum and uses communication aids. This is a film she and her team of support have made to show what she likes and dislikes at school and the challenges and successes that she faces on a day to day occurence.
Meet the AET team at The Education Show 04/03/10
We are exhibiting at The Education Show from 4 – 6 March 2010 at the NEC, Birmingham (Stand E74). Visitors to the show will be able to find out more about our work.
Government strategy to transform adult autism support 03/03/10
The AET, England’s only umbrella organisation for autism education, welcomes a raft of new measures in the landmark adult autism strategy published today aimed at tackling the isolation, ignorance and inequality routinely experienced by the over 300,000 adults with autism in England.
AET London Conference - 'Transition: practical steps for moving forward' 28/01/10
The AET is holding a one day conference presenting a range of keynote speakers and practical workshops sessions. The event will focus on "transition", which is a crucial issue in the education of children and young people on the autism spectrum.
Take part in the My Way! online survey for a chance to win £300 of vouchers 27/01/10
The First News My Way! campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the different ways children and young people like to learn and the importance of allowing them to learn in a way which is right for them. One in five school-aged children need extra help due to a learning difficulty which may include being on the autism spectrum. The AET is in full support of the campaign. My Way! would like to get children and young people’s views on their school, how they like to learn, and about their friendships.
AET SUPPORTS MY WAY! LAUNCH AT 10 DOWNING STREET 12/01/10
The Autism Education Trust has given its support to a new campaign which hopes to add weight to the growing awareness that all children learn differently. The First News My Way! Campaign was launched at 10 Downing Street on 6th January by the Prime Minister’s wife Sarah Brown and Henry Winkler, best known for his role as The Fonz in TV show Happy Days.
Sentence Trouble - resource launched to help improve communication 20/11/09
Sentence Trouble, a new guide for the youth justice workforce to help them communicate more effectively with young people, particularly those with communication needs has been launched by the Communication Trust, in partnership with the AET.
AET roadshows - thanks for making them a success 17/11/09
Thanks to your support, the series of roadshow events we held during April and May were a great success. For those of you who found time to attend an event, thank you very much for your valuable contributions. And for those of you who were not able to come, please keep in touch and let us know if you have any specific thoughts about the future development of the AET.
Autism conference on transition 22/10/09
The first in a series of AET events has taken place in Leeds and highlighted that now is a crucial time for improving services for children and young people on the autism spectrum.
AET Leeds Conference - 'Transition: practical steps for moving forward' 22/10/09
The AET is holding a one day conference presenting a range of keynote speakers and practical workshops sessions. The event will focus on "transition", which is a crucial issue in the education of children and young people on the autism spectrum.
2008 Party Conference Round-up 01/09/09
Autism has been high on the political agenda recently. Many voluntary organisations working with and on behalf of the autism community around the UK attended the main political party conferences in September with some successful and interesting debates and events.
Good practice presentations now available online 07/07/09
Downloadable presentations from a broad range of professionals who work closely with children and young people on the autism spectrum are now available on the AET website, as part of the AET’s aim to promote and share examples of good autism education practice.
"Choosing a schoo for your child" - translated 18/06/09
A new resource to help parents of children on the autism spectrum choose the right school for their child has now been translated into eight different languages. Produced by the Autism Education Trust (AET), this informative booklet can be used by teaching staff as a resource for parents whose first language is not English. Just belonging to a minority ethnic community in addition to being on the autism spectrum could mean that some children face double discrimination while accessing services.
NASEN conference on autism Friday 12th June 09/06/09
This one-day conference is aimed at teaching staff and anyone working with or likely to work with children and young people on the autistic spectrum. The keynote presentation will be delivered by Mary Daly who was the Programme Lead in the creation of the new autism specific resources under the Inclusion Development Programme (IDP), as part of the National Strategies.
Increased funding secured for AET 21/05/09
The Autism Education Trust (AET) is to extend its remit in 2009/10 to work with local authorities and primary care trusts to improve the commissioning of services for children with autistic spectrum disorders. In order to carry out this extended range of activities, additional funding from the DCSF was announced by Sarah McCarthy-Fry, Minister for Schools and Learning, in the House of Commons on Friday 15 May, bringing the total funding for the AET to £580,000 in this financial year.
AET supplement published in The Guardian 19/05/09
The supplement will provide an in-depth look at autism education in England, with case studies from teaching staff, families and young people on the autism spectrum across the country.
New autism specific resources for early years and schools 01/04/09
New web and DVD resources on the autism spectrum are now available. Produced by The Department of Schools, Children and Families (DCSF), one is designed for those working with children under five years of age and the other is for those working in mainstream primary and secondary schools.
New learning resources for teachers 27/03/09
A series of web-based resources to support practitioners working with all children and young people on the autism spectrum in both Early Years settings and primary and secondary schools are now available to access on-line.
Sarah McCarthy-Fry speaks at AET conference 02/03/09
The Autism Education Trust held its first National Conference, ‘Sharing Good Practice’, at Central Hall in Westminster, London on Thursday 26th February 2009. Sarah McCarthy-Fry, Minister for Schools and Learning gave the keynote address and spoke about the Government’s ambitions for improving autism education provision across England through better collaboration and information sharing.
Listen to Schools Minister, Diana Johnson’s speech at the AET Roadshow in Hull 25/02/09
Diana Johnson MP, Schools Minister responsible for Government’s Special Educational Needs policy, was the special guest at the AET Roadshow in Hull on 25th February.
AET and Commissioning Support Programme work together to improve the commissioning of services for children and young people on the autism spectrum 10/02/09
Autism services commissioners: complete our questionnaire by the end of February to access free and impartial advice and support.
The AET and CSP are working together to improve the commissioning of services for children and young people on the autism spectrum.
Web competition winner announced 09/02/09
Alex Devlin has been chosen as the winner of the competition to name the new AET website for teenagers. Alex’s entry ‘The Den’ was selected by the AET Steering Group as the winning name.
We improve the commissioning of services for children with autism 08/02/09
The Autism Education Trust (AET) is working with the Commissioning Support Programme (CSP) to improve the commissioning of services for children and young people on the autism spectrum. All local authorities [can we include specifics here?] in England have been contacted with information about how the AET and CSP can help the commissioning process and have been asked to fill in a questionnaire about current procedures and access to information and advice.
The AET road shows 01/01/01
Following the success of the first Autism Education Trust (AET) ‘road show’ event in Liverpool this month, the AET is holding a further five free events across England during March, April and May 2009. These events will mirror the recent AET National Conference and in addition will address some of the more local issues in each area.
AET brings 'Sharing Good Practice' to cities across England 01/01/01
Following the first Autism Education Trust (AET) National Conference 'Sharing Good Practice', which will be held in London in February, the AET is running a series of roadshow events across England during March, April and May.
AET launches national Autism Stars awards 01/01/01
October sees the launch of the AET Autism Stars, new national awards to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution of individuals in creating an autism friendly culture.
AET Learning and Sharing events 01/01/01
The latest series of AET Learning and Sharing events will be taking place nationwide between November 2010 and March 2011, covering a range of themes.
AET National Conference 2009: 'Sharing Good Practice' 01/01/01
The Autism Education Trust (AET) is holding a one-day conference to promote collaboration between the various stakeholders in autism education. The event will bring together educational providers, local authority representatives, health professionals, adults and young people with autism, parents and carers
Do you know an Autism Star? 01/01/01
Leeds Conference 01/01/01
NAS Broomhayes School celebrates 25th Anniversary 01/01/01
The National Autistic Society’s Broomhayes School and Children’s Centre in Bideford, North Devon, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Report finds genetic link to ADHD 01/01/01
Scientists from Cardiff University claim to have found the first direct evidence of a genetic link to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study published in The Lancet on 30 September 2010.
The Communication Trust Update on the Youth Justice Programme 01/01/01
August 2010 highlights from The Communication Trust’s Youth Justice Programme.
New research highlights the lack of specialist support for autism education practioners 01/01/01
New research carried out for the Autism Education Trust (AET) by the University of Birmingham has highlighted the lack of specialist support for autism education practitioners, including speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.
AET roadshows feedback and evaluation 01/01/01
We held six awareness-raising roadshow events during April and May 2008 at locations around England (London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Hull). The events were held following the launch of the AET in November 2007 to spread the word about the organisation to a wider audience. We wanted to encourage involvement from parents, professionals and young people with autism in the future work of the AET.
AET granted £35,000 to extend work programme in first year 01/01/01
The Autism Education Trust (AET), which was launched in November 2007, has been granted an additional £35,000 by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to extend its work programme in the first year.
Autism Education Trust launched in Parliament 01/01/01
The Autism Education Trust (AET) was launched this month in the Houses of Parliament at an event hosted by Barry Sheerman MP, Chair of the newly established Children, Schools and Families Select Committee. Schools Minister Andrew Adonis also spoke at the event.